Life saving device



Oct. 18, 1955 w p GRAY 2,720,664

LIFE SAVING DEVICE Filed April 17, 19515 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 INVENTOR.

WALLACE D. GRAY ATTORNEYS Oct. 18, 1955 w. D. GRAY 2,720,664

LIFE SAVING DEVICE Filed April 17, 19515 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WALLACE D. GRAY ATTORNEYS t ni United States Patent LIFE SAVING DEVICE Wallace Dewey Gray, Providence, R. 1.

Application April 17, 1953, Serial No. 349,476

6 Claims. (Cl. 911) The invention relates to a life saving device which may be used equally well in water, on ice, or on snow.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a life saving device which may be easily propelled over ice or snow and which is buoyant so that it may be readily used to rescue persons who have fallen through thin ice.

Another object is to provide a life saving device which has a collapsible buoyant member to enable it to be shipped in a smaller package than that which Would result if the buoyant member was of normal size and ready for immediate use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a life saving device with runners that may be freely rotated in any direction so that the device will readily align itself to the direction of propulsion.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a buoyant life saving device which is provided with ski runners that are so mounted upon the body of the life saving device that slush and snow will not jam between the body of the device and the ski.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a buoyant life saving device having a plurality of skis, each of which is free to move over a complete arc of 360 degrees and each of which is provided with a skate for engagement with ice.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the life saving device of my invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the life saving device showing a plurality of skis mounted on the bottom thereof and the manner in which the fabric cover fastens the various parts of the device together;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 4-4 of Figure 2, showing particularly the mounting of the ski and the castering arrangement thereof;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of ski that may be used with the life saving device;

Figure 6 is an end view of the skis showing the slightly convex surface thereof;

Figure 7 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 showing a deflecting plate afiixed to a ski;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the deflecting plate.

In proceeding with this invention, I provide an inflatable tube and affix to the tube a platform of generally the same configuration as that of the tube by means of a canvas or other fabric covering. Additionally, I mount a plurality of skis on the platform through suitable castered supports and provide a projection on the surface-engaging portion of the ski, which is substantially the length of the ski and which forms a skate.

With reference to the drawings, 10 generally designates the life saving device having a buoyant member of substantially circular cross section generally designated as 11, a platform 12, and a plurality of runners 13. The buoyant member 11 is preferably circular in shape, although other configurations may be resorted to, and consists of a hollow tube 15 which is joined together at its ends. Preferably this tube is made out of rubber, plastic, or other suitable flexible material which may be readily collapsed when the air in the body thereof is released. To effect the inflation or deflation of such a construction, a suitable valve means such as shown at 14 in Figure 3 may be utilized. The buoyant member may also consist of a solid buoyant material such as balsa wood, cork, or the like if compactness for portability is not desired. The platform 12, which may be made out of wood, plastic, metal, or other suitable material, generally conforms to the configuration of the tube 15 and is held in assembly with the tube by means of a fabric cover 16. The fabric cover 16 is generally shaped to completely encircle circumferentially the body of tube 15 and is provided at each edge thereof with a hem 17, 17'. Within the hem 17 there is provided a metallic band 18 which has oppositely disposed threads 19-19 at each end thereof for the attachment of a turn-buckle or other tightening device 26. Similarly disposed in the hem 17' of the fabric cover 16 is a second metallic ring 18', which may be either one solid ring or may be split with oppositely disposed threads and a turn buckle construction similar to that described in connection with the metallic ring 18.

in order for the fabric cover 16 to assume the generally circular shape as shown in the drawings, it has been suitably cut into panels which have been sewn together as shown by the stitching such as at 22 and has additionally been provided with reinforcing strips 23 in the alternate panels, said reinforcing strips extending into straps 23 which are provided with buckles 25 so that the ends of the straps may be diametrically joined to each other.

The fabric cover 16 holds the base member 12 to the buoyant member through the action of the metallic rings i8, 18. The metallic ring 18 is of a diameter greater than the internal diameter of the buoyant member and generally exerts a force outwardly from the center of the buoyant member to snugly adhere to the interior of the tubular member 15. The metallic ring 18, on the other hand, which is of less diameter than the outside diameter of the buoyant member, exerts a force that is radially opposed to the force exerted by ring 18' and tends to pull the fabric 16 into a smaller diameter. Therefore, should a force be exerted on the platform member 12 in an atempt to force it away from the buoyant member 15, the resultant lines of force from ring 13' are such that the hem and ring portions 17', 18' tend to more snugly adhere to the interior of the buoyant member and prevent the fabric 16 from tangentially moving over the outside body of the buoyant member 15. Therefore, in all conditions the hem 17 and ring 18 hold the platform 12 snugly against the circumference of the buoyant member 15. in addition, straps 23', which crisscross the platform 12, tend to hold the parts in assembly.

The platform member 12 is provided with a plurality of skis or other type runners, which as shown in the drawings are four in number, although any number over three may be provided. The runners as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings take the form of a ski which is provided with the usual upturned end 26 and which has a lower or surface-engaging portion that is slightly convex in shape and which is additionally provided with a skate or projection The body of each of the skis is reinforced with a block 29 that is suitably afiixed thereto and which forms a means of mounting the ski to the platform 12. Each of the skis 13 is mounted on the platform 12 through the mounting block 29, a caster designated generally 3! and a spacer block 31. The caster 30 may take the usual form and consists of two members such as 32 and 33, which have parallel disposed faces that are joined together by a rivet 34 and upon Whieh.art pmyided'circular races for the reception of anthfriction balls. Portion.32 is secured to spacer block bysuitablefastenings as35, and member 33 is fastened to block 29. by, bolts 36,

Referring now more particularly to Figure 5, there is shown a runner or ski 1 3, which-is of generally the same construction as therunner or ski 13:,except that in this embodimentthe loweror surface-engaging portion of the ski is providedwith two upturned ends 26 and 26'. A

7 projection or skate 2 8 additionally extends throughout the surfacesengaging portion.of theski 13', and a mounting block 29. isprovided to suitably caster mount the ski on the mounting platform 12 The device may be, readily maneuvered through slush or snow or. a combination thereof,'as the supporting member. 29.. for the.skis. 13 is. so designed that slush and snow will'notclog betweenthe. upper porticnofthe ski and its mounting means. inaddition, as mentioned before, the

portion opposite the upturnedendl of the ski is. also slightly upturned, as the entire surfaceeengagingportiou of the ski 13 is.s l ight ly. concave. This particular feature isgreatly magnifiedin the embodiment of the ski as shown in Figure where each end of the ski is provided with an upturned end. This-particular constructionaids in the maneuverabiiity. of the .life saving device and allows it to be backed up ,veryreadily, for thecastering action of the skis willtake overandIreverse the. direction thereof.

Referring'now more particularly to Figures 7 and 8, there is showna pair ofdefiecting plates 5% of pseudoconicalshape whichmay be attachedto either side of the member 29 in a position tov surround the caster 3t FlangesSl having mounting holes 52 extend radially from the plate 50 and are adapted to engage the vertical faces of the ski will always be available.

Aflixed to the body of the buoyant member 11 are several lines. The first of these designated 40 generally encircles the buoyant member and ,is affixed thereto through suitable loops41 that are stitched to the reinforcing bands 23. This line 40 aids in providing a suitable grasping portion of about the outside of the buoyant member 11, particularly. for the aid of a person being rescued. Additionally, there is provided a second pair of lines 42 andv42" which are aflixed to the buoyant member at diametricallyfopposed points. and which are intendedto serve as a means of towing the life saving device over a solidrsurfa'ce such as ice, land, or snow by theperson who would be effecting. the rescue. Additionally, there is provided atowingring 45 mounted on the platform'member '12 and to which a sturdy retrieving line may be attached.

To describe the operation of the life saving device of my invention, assume for the moment that a person has of the member 29'an equaldistanceieither side of the caster 30. to efiect the mounting.- As particularly shown in 4a. fallen through thin ice on a lake and that the lifesaving device as well as the person effecting the rescue are on the shore of said lake. The person effecting the rescue may either push the life saving device or tow it by means of the lines 42, 42 over the solid ice of the lake to effect a more rapid approach to the victim. Upon reaching thin ice, the person efliecting the rescue may climb into the body of the life saving device and further propel himself by means of pointed sticks until he reaches the victim.

Upon reaching the person to be rescued, the man effecting the rescue maypull the victim aboard and then through a stout line whichis preferablyuattached to the ring 45, the entire life saving device with its two passengers may be pulled from the disaster scene to the shores of the lake by persons on the shores.

Thus, I have described a device which is readily adapted for saving persons who have fallen through thin ice or-may be additionally-utilizedxo ,save-persons who may be drowning, sincethe device is. easilyapushedior. propelled over.; land as; well; as being adapteds to .be=propelled through-the water. If,. as'in.the preferredaform of: construction, a. flexible, hollowybuoyantz member. 15;. is-

provided, thelife saving device; may in its tdeflatedconz.

dition occupy. approximately. half. the h6ighi,lll1flt:li;.WOllld occupy if it were nitscompletely inflatedandassembled relationship; Thisdoes not; affect the. usefulness .of the. device, for, as known to; those skilled in theart, various; compressed products such as carbon dioxide are. com-. mercially supplied in cylinder form, which may be utilized to quickly inflate thehollQW member 15. i

I'claim: V i

l. A life saving device comprising a platform, a. buoyantmernber mounted upon said platform, a. plurality of skis mounted undersaid platform, each ski being; mounted for free rotation about an'aXis :atsubstantially. right; angles to the; plane of; said platform through an .arc of 360 degrees.

2 A device as in'claiur=1 wherein-said skishave a convex. surface-engaging portion; with an upturned .end.

3, A device. as inclaim. 1 wherein said-skishave a convex s'urface;engaging;p0rtion with two upturned :ends- 4. A device as in claiml wherein said buoyantmermberis hollow andcapable of -holding-;air.

5. A device as; in;claim '1 wherein-said;skis.,have-a.. 'i-t ai .pa don:subst ntiallyp r l P form and a projection extending along the surface engag; in g portion substantially; at; right angles, ;ther.eto.-,

6. A lifesaving device comprisingra'platform, asealed hollow tubular member removably securedJtQ-saidplat-v 3 l. 1 a plur t I k smot n ed nd a pl o each ski mounted fer; free rotation -aboutran; axisiperrv pendicular to the; platform andithe ,ski, ,each, ski,hav-ing, a convex surface-engaging; portion ,witha skate. thereon;

References Cited in the file of this patent.

UNITED; STATES. PATENTS France Mar l l l wl 

